Do you own an opal?
Precious opal is one of the most bedazzling stones in the mineral kingdom. With fiery flashes of rainbow color, it has mesmerized gem fanciers for centuries. Unfortunately opal has acquired a reputation as a “bad luck stone,” a stigma that has followed it since the late 18th century. So is opal really unlucky…or just misunderstood?
In order to see how such a myth has survived for so long, it helps to be familiar with opal on a scientific level. All opals are the product of a sedimentary process and are essentially made of water and microscopic spheres of silica. A combination of diffraction and interference causes play of color, and what colors we see depends on the size and arrangement of the silica spheres. Because of it’s water content it is prone to “crazing” or cracking due to of loss of moisture. This has long been associated with bad omens, but is likely the result of careless handling. Moderate humidity and temperature changes, along with excessive bright lighting can cause any opal to craze. It is understandable to associate a cracked opal with a misfortune that occurred around the same time.
Jewelers and lapidaries are also responsible for contributing to opal’s bad reputation. The stone’s brittle nature and sensitivity to heat have presented a challenge for those who attempt to cut and set it. These craftsmen are responsible for the gems they take in, and a ruined family heirloom is certainly reason to approach a valuable opal with caution. A goldsmith who was to mount an opal for Luis XI broke the stone in the process and had his hands cut off!
Opal has negative ties to historic events like the Black Plague of Europe, widespread destruction and disease in 1348 Venice, and a 1885 cholera epidemic in Spain. Often it was believed the an opal worn by the sick would intensify in color until the wearer’s death and then turn dull and lifeless, a reminder of the death of the victim. Alfonzo XII, a 19th-century Spanish king, received a magnificent opal ring as a wedding gift from this ex-lover. His wife, grandmother, sister, and sister-in-law all wore the ring and mysteriously died a short time after doing so. Despite the fact that this was during the 1885 cholera epidemic, many believed the stone was responsible for the deaths.
Even a work of fiction can have a negative impact on a stone. In Sir Walter Scott’s 1829 novel Anne of Geierstein, the heroine’s opal discolors when touched by holy water and she dies that night as a result. This is how the public interpreted it, but the reader learns in volume three that the stone actually changed turned pale to warn of poisoning. Opal sales fell nearly fifty percent in the year after the book was published.
The modern belief that opals are unlucky is owed to the diamond cartels. When Australia began producing high quality precious opal in the 1890s, opal began to rival diamond in popularity. In a move to eliminate competition, diamond merchants began spreading the false rumor that opals brought bad luck to the wearer. This was very effective, and demand for opal began to slow. Even today some believe it is unlucky to buy an opal, or wear one unless it is your birthstone.
I think opal is no less lucky than ruby, quartz, or a piece of driveway gravel. As with any superstition, good and bad luck only exist if someone believes in them. This fine phenomenal stone deserves to be appreciated without prejudice for the beautiful gem it is!
